Tuesday, 7 February 2012

Pool postcard: Fort Scott, Kansas


"Fort Scott residents enjoy unusual park facilities for a city of its size. . . Gunn City Park with its two lakes and camp site, nearby Rock Creek park and Elm Park with its 105 acres of water. . . bathing beaches, boating, and its fine fishing, tennis courts, swimming pools."  (Back of card)

I found this picture of Fort Scott pool on this wiki site. Looks like the same building is still standing.



The information attached says: "The Fort Scott Public Pool was built in the 1930s by the WPA projects of the Great Depression. The pool offers several water slides. It used to offer diving boards in the deep end of the pool but they were removed because of insurance. During the summer, the pool staff and lifeguards offer Red Cross certified swimming lessons for children as well as lessons for adults. "

Now, this raises two points I have been pondering:

1. The importance of community asset building through work projects during the Great Depression. It's how Sydney got quite a few of its ocean baths.

2. Diving boards. Most of the US photos I have been showing feature diving boards, and in fact most of the pools I frequented as a chils had them. Not so any more. Few public pools I know if still have boards. I remember diving off 1 m spring boards, and daring  to dive from the 3m boards. I was never brave enough to venture onto the 5m or 10 m platforms!

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